so as that withall they hate him in their hearts knowing that he will be and shall be their confounder These feare God so as withall they loue him in their hearts as feeling that he is and beleeuing that he will be their carefull preseruer And if at any time mistrustfull or carnall feare doe take hold vpon the Saints yet it is neither totall nor finall as it is in the Deuills For the regenerate partie will euer cleaue to Gods mercie by faith and the spirit of adoption will at length get the victorie and make them crie with comfort Abba Father whereas the Deuills feare euer totally without one droppe of faith and finally without one moment of comfort Therefore as it is no comfort to the Deuills to know that the Saints doe feare as well as they so it need be no discomfort to the Saints to see that they feare as well as the deuills Mâ—dus agendi actum distinguit They feare punishment these feare losse they feare and â—ate these feare and loue they feare and despaire these feare hope they feare and sinne still these feare and amend they feare and are damned these feare and are saued For there is a feare and reuerence with which we please God the fruit whereof is euerlasting saluation Hitherto I haue spoken of the Deuills beleefe and trembling seuerally and asunder and deriued vses from either necessarie to our instruction Now consider we of them iointly and together They beleeue and yet they tremble They tremble and yet they beleeue What Pugnantia loqueris Iacobe Good S. Iames doest thou not speake contraries How will these two stand together beleeuing and trembling If they beleeue why doe they tremble If they tremble how doe they beleeue for on the one side timor hostilis infidelitatis filius hostile feare is the ofspring of infidelitie Why were the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Why are yee fearefull O yee of little faith If therefore the deuills tremble it is a signe that they beleeue not On the other side if they beleeue then what need they tremble For first Faith maketh attonment with God Beeing iustified by faith we haue peace toward God If they be at peace with God what cause haue they to feare For If God be on our side who can be against vs Secondly Faith purifieth the heart Now if the Deuills be mundi corde then they are blessed and see God with comfort What then need they feare Thirdly faith giueth boldnes and confidence By whom we haue boldnesse and entrance with confidence by saith in him Boldnes and Confidence are plaine opposites to feare and trembling Fourthly faith worketh by loue Now loue casteth out feare Ergo. If they beleeue they loue if they loue they feare not One of the Fathers expounding that place in the Song of Salomon Thy cheekes are comely with rowes of stones and thy necke with chaines maketh one of those chaines wherewith the Churches necke is adorned to be religiosa sanaque fides a sound and religious â—aith facta de puro diuinae cognitionis auro beaten and composed of pure gold of the diuine knowledge And to this pure and golden chaine of faith he applieth that of Salomon in the Prouerbs Coronam gratiarum accipies vertice tuo â—umellam aurâ—am circa caput tuum Thou shalt receiue a crowne of grace or a gracefull crowne vpon thy head and a chaine of gold about thy necke Now then if the Deuills haue such a crown of grace vpon their heads and such a rich coller of Sss about their necke as faith is a man would think they were adorned and bewtified sufficiently to appeare with iolliâ—ie in the most roiall presence euen of the glorious God himselfe How then saith S. Iames here that they beleeue yet they tremble The answer is this The deuills beleeue much many things as hath bin before declared but yet they beleeue not that which should keepe them from trembling What is that M. Bucer setteth downe in three words Reconciliationem non credunt They beleeue no atonement or reconciliation made or to be made between them and Almightie God Therefore all that which they beleeue will not keepe them from trembling Take for an example of them in this case a malefactor a felon a murderer or traytour conuicted and condemned to death This malefactor knoweth the King who he is he knoweth his prerogatiue royall that he can and is able to pardon him he knoweth and beleeueth further that the King of his naturall disposition is mild kind bounteous pitiâ—ull mercifull as thanked be God our King Iames is at this day The same malefactor knoweth yet further that the King out of his royall bountie and grace hath pardoned many yea some capitall offendors But now withall he hath no meanes nor friend to make to the King to obtaine his pardon he hath neither word not writing from the King to warrant his pardon nay he hath no hope that if he sought for it the King would graunt his pardon nay his heart is so besotted as that he can not thinke of seeking a pardon Here all the knowledge of the King of the Kings mercie of the Kings mercifull dealing with others will not put him out of feare of death but he trembleth daily hourely expecting his execution So is it with the Deuill He knoweth God be knoweth the omnipotent power of God that God can forgiue him and he can say with the leper Master if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane He knoweth the infinite mercie of God that he is mercifull gratious flow to anger and abundent in goodnes and truth that the whole earth is full of the goodnes of the Lord that his mercy reacheth to the heauens his truth vnto the clouds yea that the Lord is good to all and his mercies are ouer all his workes He knoweth further that God hath extended his mercifull pardon towards hainoâ—s offenders As to Dauid for adulterie and murder To Salomon for idolatrie To Peter for Apostacie To Paul for persecution and to thousand thousands whose names are not recorded All this the Deuill knoweth well and beleeueth all that he knoweth as hath beene before declared But now the wretched fiend hath neither means to make for his pardon for Christ is but Mediator dei hominum a Mediator betweene God and man not betweene God and the deuills and the goodnes of God which appeared in Christ was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a loue of men not a loue of deuills neither hath he one title or iotte of a promise from God that he shall be pardoned neither hath he the hope that if he begge it God will giue him pardon neither hath he an affection to desire pardon but is shut vp as are all reprobates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
are hoped for And in his Commentaries vpon this text hee alledgeth places out of very approoued Authors Polybius and Herodotus where the word hypostasis is so taken yea in the same Epistle is an other place which giueth much light to this interpretation For we are made partakers of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if we keepe to the ende initium fiduciae so Calvin readeth it the beginning of our confidence that is of our faith which is yet but begunne in vs. Now then if faith be turned into fiducia doe but aske Thomas Aquinas what kind of thing fiducia is He will answer Fiducia est spes futuri auxilij concepta ex dictis aliorum vel ex his quae sunt in se vel in alio Confidence is the hope of future helpe or aide conceiued either from other mens words or from some thing else which a man hath in himselfe or hee knoweth in another Is Confidence such a thing and is faith confidence why then Faith is a hope of future aide or helpe or good conceiued from the words or promises of God and from somewhat else which is not in himselfe for in a mans selfe there is no hope of helpe in time to come but in God as his mercie his truth his loue his free grace vpon which indeed our faith is builded and groweth vp to full confidence in Iesus Christ. Faith therefore apprehendeth speciall râ—ercie Thus I haue finished the foure reasons which I propounded to you fourescoare more might be added if it were necessaire But I stay here and say with the Poet Iam satis est nè me Crispini scrinia Lippâ— Compilâ—sse putes Now for so much as Bellarmine maketh this doctrine of faith apprehending speciall mercie to be an opinion of Heretikes wherein they differ from the Catholikes and our homebredde Historians haue not shamed to auouch that it is The new villainous doctrine of Calvin and Beza a villainous terme to be giuen to so holy reuerend learned men therefore omitting what the Protestant Authors write in this case I will now shew what my poore reading hath found about this point in the Ancienter Fathers of the Church yea and in such Popish writers as hauing not their affections distempered with the heat of contention and disputation haue in a milde and open sort deliuered their minde herein as particular occurrances haue occasioned And first to beginne with the Fathers Irenaeus speaketh thus of faith Semper fides quae est ad magistrum nostrum permanet firma asseuerans nobis quoniam solus verè Deus vt diligamus Deum verè semper quoniam ipse solus Pater speremus subinde plus aliquid accipere discere à Deo quiae bonus est diuitias habens indeterminabiles regnum sine fine disciplinans immensam In effect thus in English Our faith which we beare towards our Lord and Master euer abideth stedfast telling vs that he is the only true God that we must alwaies heartily loue him because hee is our only Father and that we must hope euer and anon to receiue more from God to learne more of God because he is good and hath riches innumerable and an endlesse kingdome and learning vnmeasurable I note from hence 3. things 1. First faith holdeth vs to the onely true God 2. Secondly it holdeth vs to him with loue as to a louing Father 3. Thirdly it teacheth vs daily to expect from him as from a louing father the good which we need both for life and knowledge Now if my faith teach me that God is my Father and maketh me to loue him as a Father and to expect continually fauours from his hand as from a good God louing Father tell me if it doth assure my heart of his loue and mercie Origen thus Fides quae in Christo est praesentis vitae regulam tenet futura spei fiduciam praestat Faith in Christ both giueth direction for this life and yeeldeth assurance of that which we hope for to be hereafter in the life to come Faith therefore assureth vs of that which wee hope for Chrysostome thus Hoc verae fidei est quando promissiones non iuxta solitum morem hominibus cognitum fiunt nos promissionis virtute fidimus This is the propertie of true faith when God maketh promises after an vnusuall manner and such as men are not acquainted with as he did to Abraham Gen. 15. for of that he speaketh in that place and we beleeue depending vpon the promise Faith therefore taketh hold on Gods mercifull though extraordinarie promises Againe the same Father Gloriatur fidelis non solum quod Deum amet germanè sed quod ab illo magnum honorem assecutus est magnam item dilectionem The faithfull man boasteth or reioyceth not onely that he truely loueth God but also for that he hath receiued much honour loue from God Faith therefore perswadeth our hearts that God loueth vs. Epiphanius thus Ego debilis eram per carnem demissus est autem mihi Saluator in similitudine carnis peccati talem dispensationem perficiens qua me à seruitute redimeret à corruptione à morâ—e I was weake in the flesh or by the flesh but there was a Sauiour sent downe for mee in the similitude of sinfull flesh to redeeme me from bondage corruption and death Did Paul euer speake more applicatiuely of Christ to himselfe No not euen then when hee said who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me for Epiphanius saith of himselfe There was a Sauiour sent downe for me to redeeme me from bondage But shall I nay may I dare to smoother the words that there follow Et factus est mihi iusticia sanctificatio redemptio and this Sauiour thus sent downe was made to me righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Iusticia quidem quoniam per fidem ipsius peccata dissoluit Sanctificatio verò quia per aquam spiritum verbum suum me liberauit Redemptio autem est sanguis ipsius dum pretium redemptionis agni veripro me seipsum tradidit This Sauiour was made vnto me righteousnesse because by my faith he dissolued my sinnes He was made vnto me sanctification because he hath freed me by water and his spirit and his word And my redemption is his blood whilest hee gaue himselfe for me as the true lambe the price of my redemption What did Paul affirme more of the Church in generall then this man of himselfe in particular He is of God made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption A liuely president of faith laying hold vpon speciall mercie Mortalitas ipsius meae mortalitatis est abolitio Resuscitatio de mortuis ab Orco nostri liberatio Ascensus in coelum me quoque sursum transfert saith Nazivizer His death is the abolishing of my death his raising from the dead is a deliuerie of
beleeue further that God hath forgiuen thy sinne to thee this is necessarie This is the testimonie of the holy ghost in thee which cannot deceiue thee Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee He therefore which hath receiued true faith which is the gift of the holy Ghost and by which the holy ghost testifieth to the conscience he by this faith beleeueth forgiuenesse to himselfe which is a speciall application of mercie Sedulius shall make vp the iust dozen Disposuit Deus propitium se futurum humano generi si credant in sanguine eius se esse liberandos God hath determined to be mercifull to mankind if they beleeue that they shall be deliuered by his blood Short and sweete Hope well and haue well Beleeue deliuerance and take deliuerance But without beleefe of that there is no deliuerie It is therefore no new Doctrine as say our right Worshipfull Masters of the Historie no nor rashnesse and presumption as say Lindane and Bellarmine and other Papists by faith to applie in particular mercie to thy selfe No heare S. Augustine challenging such presumption from noueltie Praesume non de operatione tua sed de gratia Christi gratia enim saluati est is inquit Apostolus Non ergo hic arrogantia est sed fides Praedicare quod acceperiâ— non superbia est sed deuotio Could any thing be spoken more contrary to the doting Papists They dubbe applying faith with the name of Presumption and vnder that name condemne it for a sinne But what saith S. Augustine Presume so it be not of thine own workes but of the grace of Christ. For by grace are yee saued saith the Apostle Herein thus to presume is no arrogancie but faith To professe or acknowledge what thou hast receiued is not pride but deuotion So then there is an holy presumption or confidence in the grace and mercie of God the profession wherof is the fruit of faith We see then what note the olde Fathers song Now if I shew that a number euen of Popish Writers haue taught this applying faith and apprehending by faith of speciall mercie I shall not onely cut the combes of our audacious Englishmen who of grosse ignorance if not of secret malice ascribe the fountaine of this Doctrine to Geneua but I shall also turne the edge of the Papists swords vpon themselues and cause them first to answer their owne before they proceede so peremptorily against strangers Thus therefore I goe on in that course and will summon also an Inquest of them Arnoldus de noua villa was a Spaniard a man famously learned He liued about the yeare of our Lord 1250. two hundred yeares before Luther and Calvin were borne He wrote against many errours of the Romish Church Among the rest he said That the faith which then Christian men were commonly taught was such a faith as the Deuills had Meaning belike saith M. Foxe the reporter hereof as we now affirme that the Papists do teach only the historicall faith which is the faith historiâ— non fiduciae A shreud more in a Papists dish but the Author himselfe were right worthy the seeing which my poore librarie affordeth not Gerson was a great man in his time both for learning and place Chancelor of the Vniuersitie of Paris He making the distinction of fides mortua fides ficta and fides viâ—ae saith that fides viâ—a est credere Dei veritatem â—bin hoc â—um amare timere per affectionem A liuely faith is to beleeue the truth of God But that is not all Besides beleeuing of Gods truth to be truth a liuely faith doth also loue God and feare God in affection as a naturall and louing child loueth and feareth his naturall and louing father for of a seruile feare I trow no Papist is so simple as to expound him Now how shall he affectionately loue and reuerence God as a Father which is not by faith perswaded that God carrieth a fatherly affection towards him The same Gerson preaching to the French King and directing his speach to the King by name exhorteth him against all the temptations of the Deuill to arme himselfe with the sheild of faith in te ipso per bonam dicas credulitatem and saith hee say thus to the Deuill in thy selfe or in thine owne heart by a steadfast faith O humani generis inimice hoc non me vinces pacto nec me falles O Sathan thou enemie of mankind thou shalt not thus ouercome mee nor deceiue mee Quia cùm credam Deum esse illum Deum meum esse Patrem meum Dominum meum c. Thou shalt not ouercome me for why Because I beleeue there is a God and that this God is my God my Father my Lord and all good things to me Marke how he teacheth the King the art of application and by a faith applying the goodnesse of God vnto himselfe to resist the Deuill Now no man can say God is my God my Father my Lord c. but by a speciall confidence in his mercie And for the manifestation thereof let me here insert a saying of S. Augustine though he be none of that band which now I am mustering to shew what manner of faith that is which maketh a man to crie with S. Thomas My Lord and my God So shall we see with what kind of faith Gerson perswaded his Soueraigne to resist the Deuill S. Augustine speaking of that in the Psalme Beâ—tus vir cuius Dominus Deus ipsius Blessed is the man whose Lord is his God saith thus Super omnes est Deus tamen nescio quo modo non facile quisque audet dicere Deuâ— meus nisi qui in eum credit qui illum diligit ipse dicit Deus meus God saith he is God ouer all men and yet I cannot tel how it is that not euery man dareth redily say My God only he that beleeueth in him in eum and loueth him hee saith boldly My God Tuum tibi fecisti cuius es hoc ipse amat Thou hast made God thine owne whose thou art by faith and loue and this God himselfe loueth Then he addeth Prorsus dulcedine affectus tibi secura praesidenti dilectione dic Deus meus Beeing affected in thy selfe with the sweetnesse of God and with a secure and verie confident loue towards God say My God It was obiected to the Protestants in Queene Maries dayes as a note of an Heretike to say my God my Father my Sauiour c. Indeed S. Augustine saith Euery man cannot say so and no maruaile if those bloodie persecutors durst not speake so For a man to say with a good conscience God is my God or God is my Lord hee must haue by faith feeling of Gods mercie and as a fruit of this faith loue towards God for his mercie and then he may comfortably applie God and as it were appropriate God vnto himselfe as his peculiar owne and with this faith resist
Preachers of the Augustine confession rightly tearmed stercus Romani Pontificis the very base excrements of the Bishop of Rome they haue with their deepe wisdome wholly missed the cushion and little hath their Anathema maranatha hurt vs or our Churches as they intended in the chiefe point of controuersie now in hand For when they determine thus Si qui dixerit fidem iustificantem nihil aliud esse quà m fiduciam diuinae misericordiae peccata remittentis propter Christum vel eam fiduciam solam esse qua iustificamur anathema fit That is If any man shall say that iustifying faith is nothing els but a confidence in the mercie of God forgiuing sinnes for Christs sake or that this confidence or assurance is alone that faith by which we are iustified let him be accursed In this determination I say they hit not the bird in the eye nor crosse not the Doctrine taught by the Protestants We are not in the heresie of Apelles which saide a man might hold what faith he would otherwise eos enim qui in Christum crucifixum spem coniecissent saluos fore c. so as they reposed their hope in Christ crucified for then they should be saued We doe not say as they suppose that a iustifying faith is nothing els but an assurance of mercie or that this assurance alone ioyned with nothing els doth iustifie No we say that Obiectum fidei adaequatum The generall obiect of faith which is as large as the extent of faith it selfe est omne verbum Dei in genere is vniuersally the whole word of God We say that it is officium fidei veritati Dei subscribere quoties quicquid quocunque modo loquitur to subscribe to all the truth of God how often soeuer whatsoeuer and in what manner soeuer he deliuer it But we say that proprium principale primum proximum obiectum fidei iustificantis the proper and principall the chiefe and neerest obiect of iustifying faith is among all other things which it apprehendeth Christ crucified with all his benefits as he is offered vnto vs in the Word and Sacraments and in Christ and through Christ the mercie of God the Father We say further for the opening of this matter that whereas there are tres partes fidei as Musculus calleth them three parts or three degrees or three saculties or three acts of a true faith Credere Deum Deo In Deum The one to beleeue there is a God the second to beleeue all that God saith to be true the third to beleeue in God with confidence this same tertius fidei gradus to trust in God with confidence of mercie doth ex duobus prioribus emergere arise from the two former and as Chemnitius speaketh praesuppâ—nit includit presupposeth and includeth the former For no man can by faith assure himselfe of the mercie of God who doth not first beleeue that there is a God and that all is true which proceedeth from him Therefore doe not we imagine such a iustifying faith as beleeueth nothing but mercie to himselfe or that beleefe of mercie alone that is ioyned with no beleefe els is sufficient to iustification But we say that a Iustifying faith hath for his Obiect all that God would haue to be beleeued and among all other things principally the mercie of God I make this plaine by a similitude The vegetatiue soule is the soule of plants and is a true soule in his kind though it hath neither sense nor reason The sensitiue soule is the soule of beasts and soules and fishes it is a distinct kind of soule by it selfe including vegetation but void of reason The reasonable soule is the soule of men is a distinct kind of soule by it selfe yet such a one as includeth both vegetation and sense Applie this to the three kinds or degrees of faith Credere Deum to beleeue there is a God is the faith of Infidels and Pagans and is a true faith though it neither beleeue the Word of God nor mercie from God Credere Deo that is to beleeue all that God saith to be true is the faith of Deuills and Reprobates and includeth in it the faith of Infidels and is a true faith in the kind though it apprehend no mercie Credere iâ— Deum that is by faith to relie vpon the mercie of God is the faith of the Elect and comprehendeth both the faith of the Infidels and the faith of the deuills and is a distinct kind of faith in it selfe And this compleat faith consisting of all these three we Protestants say to be that onely faith that iustifieth in the presence of God Against therefore both Historians and Papists I make these foure conclusions 1. True Christian sauing faith doth not onely beleeue God and Christ the word of God and the Word of Christ the storie of God and the storie of Christ but also it doth beleeue and apprehend the mercie of this God per deâ—mmediatorem by Christ the Mediator 2. True Christian sauing faith differeth from the faith of the Deuills only in this and the consequences thereof that the Elect apprehend the mercie of God to them in Christ which the Deuills can not doe 3. To beleeue only the Word of God and the Storie of Christ is to beleeue no more then the Deuills 4. To beleeue all that the Deuills doe beleeue and not by faith to applie the mercie of God to thy selfe in Christ will â—o more keepe thy soule conscience from despaire then it doth the Deuills from trembling of which S. Iames saith here that though they beleeue yet they tremble Now that the word of God is cleare in this case and that God requireth in the Scriptures not only the faith of the storie but also by faith an application of mercie to a mans owne soule I will make manifest vnto you by foure principall arguments whereof The first shall be drawn from the doctrin of the Gospell which is the foundation of truth and is called in the Scriptures verbum fidei the word of faith The second from the Sacraments annexed to this Doctrine which are called sigilla fidei the seales of faith The third from the forme of our Creed which is regula fidei the rule of faith The fourth from the definition or description of faith laid out Heb. 11. 1. Of which their owne canonized Schooleman who is among them as an other Oracle of Delphos saith that though some affirme that it is no perfect definition because it sheweth not the quidditie or essence thereof as the Philosopher speaketh yet if a man rightly consider of it Omnia ex quibus fides potest definiri in praedicta definitione tanguntur licet verba non ordinentur sub forma definitionis that is All things required to the definition of faith are touched therein though the words be not placed in a logicall forme of a definition Therefore that
definition we wil examine in his place But first of the doctrine of the Gospell 1. No man can doubt but faith is built vpon Doctrine for faith is by hearing viz. of the doctrine which is taught vnto vs. Now vpon what doctrine hath faith his foundation vpon the doctrine of the Law By no means for The Law is not of faith It neither describeth the faith nor requireth the faith by which we are iustified but rationem iustificandi hominis a fide prorsus alienam habel it prescribeth a meanes of iustification cleane contrarie to faith that is obedience and workes of the Law It is therefore built vpon the doctrine of the Gospel faith must apprehend the Gospel Repent and beleeue the Gospell Againe Goe preach the Gospel to euery creature Then it followeth He that beleeueth the Gospell shall be saued hee that beleeueth not the Gospell shall be damned The matter therefore to be beleeued is the Gospell Now what is the Gospell A bare Historie only or a bare historicall narration of things done and passed By no meanes Euangelium est forma vitae ex resurrectione saith S. Basile The Gospel is a doctrine of a new forme of life following vpon our regeneration or spirituall resurrection And S. Augustine speaking of Philips preaching to the Eunuch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hoe est euangelizaro Christum non tantum dieere quae sunt eredenda de Christo sed etiam quae obseruanda ei qui accedit ad compagem corporis Christi This is to preach the Gospel of Christ or Christ in the Gospel not only to teach what things are to be beleeued concerning Christ but also what things he must obserue and practise which commeth to ioyne himselfe to the bodie of Christ. The Gospell therefore is a Doctrine of admonition of exhortation of practise of reformation not a narration only A note which I would not omit because if you marke them either Protestants or Papists which content themselues with the faith of the historie yee shall find little of spirituall death or resurrection in them that is little mortification of the flesh or viuification of the Spirit by the power of the death and resurrection of Christ wherein notwithstanding confifleth the very vigour and marrow of the doctrine of the Gospel But I come nearer to the purpose What may we call the Gospell Euangelium est raedicatio salutis 〈◊〉 â—aith Nazianzene The Gospell is the preaching of a new kind or meanes of saluation viz. brought into the world by Iesus Christ and differing from that olde of Moses which who so doth shall liue in them The Gospel then preacheth a new saluation and to whom preacheth it to vs. And must we beleeue the Gospell Then must we beleeue this new saluation Theophylact sheweth a reason why that which we cal the gospel is called in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Evangelium dicitur eò quòd nunciet nobis res prosperas bene se habentes id est bona It is called the Gospell as we would say a Gods spell or a good spell or as the Greeke etimologie giueth a message of good newes because it telleth vs of things going well on our sides and prosperously with vs that is of things good and commodious vnto vs. What are those Nempâ— remissionem peccatorum iustitiam reditum in coelos adoptionem in filios Dei The gospel relateth vnto vs the remission of sinnes righteousnes or iustification our restoring vnto heauen our adoption to be the sonnes of God All this the Gospell telleth vnto vs and this I trowe is a great deale more then the narration of the historie of Christ. But let me adde a little more out of that Father against our meritorious workemungers Nunciat autem quam facilè ac gratis haec accepimus neque nostro labore assecuti sumus haec bona neque ea ex nostris acceperimus bonis operibus sed gratiâ misericordià Dei talia bona consecuti sumus that is to say The Gospell telleth vs withall how easily and freely we haue receiued these things that is remission of sinnes iustification restitution to heauen adoption to be the sonnes of God For it telleth vs that we haue not obtained these things either by our owne industrie or by our owne good workes but by the grace and mercie of God O comfortable Gospel here is a verie Gods spell indeede here are glad tidings indeede here is a doctrine that passeth all ioy comprehensible with the deepest vnderstanding But now gather we this together Doth the Gospel bring good tidings to vs of good things that haue betided vs Are these good things remission of sinnes iustification and the rest Doth the Gospel tell vs that wee haue receiued these benefits without our labour and without our merit freely of the grace of God And must we beleeue the gospel Why then we must beleeue that these glad tydings are sent to vs that remission of sinnes and saluation is giuen to vs that we are saued by mercie without our owne deserts Is not this to beleeue more then the storie Nay is not this to take home the Gospel to our selues Is not this by faith to beleeue that the saluation which Christ wrought for man mentioned in the Gospel noâ— accepimus we haue receiued No doubt it is and so without doubt it must bee For if faith be built vpon the doctrine of the Gospel then Qualis causa talis effectus such doctrine such faith But the doctrine of the Gospell is a doctrine of remission of sinnes of iustificationâ— of adoption of saluation by Christ vnto vs. Faith therefore must be a faith of remission of sinnes of iustification of adoption of saluation by Christ to vs which I trowe is an applying of Gods mercie and Christs merits vnto our selues And here let none obiect vnto me that a man may beleeue there are glad tidings in the Gospel that a man may beleeue that the Gospel preacheth remission of sinnes and saluation by Christ and yet not to apply them to himselfe as doe the deuills and thousands of Reprobats for this indeede say I is to beleeue the storie of the Gospel but this is not to beleeue the Gospel For the Gospel is a doctrine animant ac offerens ingentiabona ad ea accipienda blandissimè iâ—â—itans a doctrine that hearteneth vs on Comfort yee comfort yee my people A doctrine that offereth vnto vs infinite good I will be their God and they shall bee my people I will forgiue their iniquitie and I will remember their 〈◊〉 no more A doctrine that kindly inuiteth and allureth vs to entertaine the goodnes offered therein Hâ— euery one that thirsteth come to the waters And againe Come vnto me all yee that are wearie Yea that which is most of all the Gospell preacheth mercie vnto meâ— appâ—â—catiue as it were thrusting it into their bosomes and pinning it vpon the hearets
that would not gloze nor dissemble in the matter It was spoken here now tenne yeares agoe let the performe those same decennalia to that peerelesse Qâ—eene who is worthie to haue her vicenalia yea her centenalia in this and all other our greatest assemblies I find it in that Sermon reported that Queene Elizabeth lying vpon her death bed M. Watson then Bishop of Chichester and her Almoner rehearsed to her the grounds of Christian faith requiring some testimonie of her assenting to them which she readily gaue both with hand and eye And when hee proceeded to tell her that it was not inough generally to beleeue that those things were true but euery Christian man must beleeue that they were true to them that they were members of the true Church truely redeemed by Iesus Christ that their sinnes were forgiuen c. shee did with great shew of faith lift vp her eyes and hands to heauen and staied them long as in testimonie of her assent thereunto O bessed Queene that liued so gloriously that died so Christianly that was optima iâ—dole in her prosperitie by the iudgement of the Papists her enemies that was optima fide in her deepest distresse in the heaâ—ing of the Protestants her â—oiall Subiects that maintained this applying faith while she liued to the good of so many thousands that professed this applying faith when she died to the honour of the Gospell and the sauing of her selfe Thanks be to God for his vnspeakeable grace The Truth beeing thus taught and proouedâ— good order of proceeding would that the contrarie Error and the Arguments which tend to the establishing thereof should be confuted And there is furniture inough in the word of God to dispatch that also for the Scripture is aâ— able to improoue as to Teach But this must be some other mans labour or mine aâ— some more leisure for this were a webbe that would aske three houres weauing more Bellarminâ— hath made vs a world of doe if a man would stand vpon euery Obiection Hee hath soâ—re seuerall Chapters fraâ—ght with Scriptures and Reasons and Fathers alleadged after his manner against faith of speciall mercie To name many were enòugh to confute them but they are vncooth and let them be vnkissed to vse olde Chaucers phrase Two places of Scripture there are which two English Knights once when it was pressed vpon me at the table and that so eagerly as they gaue mee no space to eate they beeing two to one sounded out their own triumph as if their Arguments were inuincible Them I will now indeauour charitably to satisfie by these presents Obiect 1. It is written Ioh. 17. 3. This is life eternall that they may knowe thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be the onely very God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ From hence they would conclude that The sole knowledge of God and of Christ is sufficient to eteranall life Resp. The Answer must consist of many branches which I will first seuerally display and then conioyne all together 1. First Aliquandâ— cognoscere pro eo quod est credere pâ—nitur Sometimes to knowe is put for to beleeue saith S. Augustine speaking of those words That the world may knowe that thou hast sent mee And there he alleadgeth an other like place out of the same Chapter They know that I came out from thee and they haue beleeued that I was sent of thee 〈◊〉 crediderunt Hot dixit posterius crediderunt quod prius dixerat cognouerunt The latter expoundeth the forâ—mer they knowe that is they beleeue So may it be taken also in the third verse and well may knowing be taken for beleeuing contra quia illud noâ—imus quicquid fide non ficta etiamsi nòndum per speciem contuendo iam tamen inconcussè credendo retinemus because we know all that which now wee hold without waâ—ering by faith vnfained though yet we doe not sensibly behold it Take that first though this well I wore doth not fully satifie the purpose 2. Secondly To knowâ— doth not euer signifie bare vnderstanding sed quandâ—m animi adid quod gratuâ—â— nobis est affectioneâ— But to know signifieth sometimes a certaine affection or inclination of the minde with loue and liking to that which is acceptable vnto vs. There is in man as there is in God Dâ—plex notitia a double kind of knowledge one is simplicis speculationis of simple vnderstanding so God knoweth all things both good and euil The other is notitia approbationis that is to know with approouing So God knoweth the way of the righteous that is he knoweth it with liking and approbation And on the other side he neuer knewe thâ—â—icked that is to loue theâ— and their doings Hoc enim loco charitas cognitio dicitur saith Theophilact In that place loue is called knowledge Read more for this distinction if it seeme strange to any August in Psal. 118. Teth. Elias Cretensis in Nazian â—rat 11. Sotto Maior in 2. Tim. 2. I apply it thus to this matter To knowe God and Christ with a bâ—re and simple vnderstanding what they are what they haue done c. this is not nor cannot be eternall life as hath beene before declared But to knowe God and Christ with approbation affected with them louing them taking delight and ioy in them for being such as they are and for doing that which they haue done this is and this must needes bee eternall life For why This affectionate and approouing knowledge is euer ioyned with confidence in the mercie of God and of Christ and in truth is a comfortable Effect of the same The Deuills and the Reprobates knowe God and Christ what they are and what they haue done for mans saluation as well as we but they affect not with liking thaâ— which they know because they are not perswaded of any loue mercie or kindnesse in God towards themselues But the true beleeuer as he knoweth them so hee liketh to know them and is affected to them in loue as perswaded that all the goodnesse loue mercie and fauour which is in God and in Christ doe belong vnto him and thus to know God and Christâ—â— eternall life Thirdly Sciendum duplicem esse Deinotitiam saith Peter Martyr we must know that there is in a man a double kind of the knowledge of God Vnam efficacem qua immutamur ita vt quae nouimus opere conemur exprimere alteram frigidam qua nihilo reddimur meliores There is one an effectuall kind of knowledge by which we are so changed in heart and affection as we striue to expresse in our deeds that which we know Of which kind I take that to be spoken of S. Paul to the Colossians Yee haue put on the new man which is renued in knowledge after the image of him that created him Now this is such a knowledge as ariseth of faith and by faith ioyneth vs to